Apparatus for feeding dry particulate chlorinating reagent into a swimming pool



July 22, 1969 1.. H. BOWLES 3,456,801

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING-DRY PARTICULATE CHLORINATING REAGENT INTO A SWIMMING POOL Filed Jan. 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR LETCHER H BOWLES ATTORNEYS y 2, 1969 L. H. BOWLES 3,456,801

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING DRY PARTICULATE CHLORINATING REAGENT INTO A SWIMMING POOL Filed Jan 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet Z INVENTOR LETCHER H. BOWLES ATTORNEYS 3,456,801 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING DRY PARTICULATE CHLORINAIING REAGENT INTO A SWIMMING POOL Letcher H. Bowles, R0. Box 309, Salem, Va. 24153 Filed Jan. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 698,284 Int. Cl. (102i) 1/36; E04h 3/20 US. Cl. 210169 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A system for the chlorination of the water in a swimming pool embodying a circulating pump for drawing a primary stream of water from the pool for filtration and returning the filtered water to the pool, a subcirculation system by which an increment of the primary stream is impelled by the circulating pump through an agitating jet below the controlled level of water in a flushing chamber to which a dry, chlorinating reagent is fed at intervals and from which flushing chamber water containing the added chlorinating agent is drawn back into the primary stream by the action of the circulating pump.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method and apparatus for adding a dry, particulate chlorinating agent to the water of a swimming pool. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus particularly suitable for feeding dry, calcium hypochlorite to swimming pool water.

In purifying the water of swimming pools, it is common to add some form of chlorinating agent to the water to kill bacteria.

Various methods of adding the chlorinating agent include, for example, the use of gas chlorine installations for feeding gaseous chlorine into the water and the use of hypochlorinator installations for feeding hypochlorinated water (usually provided by the use of sodium hypochlorite) into the swimming pool water. Although installations of these two types are fairly widely used, both may have certain disadvantages. For example, a gas chlorine installation usually requires the provision of a separate gas chlorination room as well as the provision of specialized safety equipment which renders the installation very expensive and suitable in general only for use in very large swimming pools. A hypochlorinator installation, by contrast, may require a smaller capital installation but is likely to present other problems due to the highly corrosive nature of the strongly concentrated chlorinated water solution customarily required to be used in conjunction with such a system. These problems may commonly include unreliability due to frequent break downs and considerable maintenance costs.

For the reasons mentioned, gas chlorination systems and hypochlorination systems may quite often be unsuitable for use in conjunction with relatively smaller swimming pools such as are likely to be associated with private homes, motels or the like. For these applications it has been common up to now to add dry, particulate chlorinating agents directly to the swimming pool water. Of these agents, one of the most suitable is calcium hypochlorite in view of its high release of chlorine upon solution in water and of its relatively low cost compared to other chlorinating agents. However, such installations as have been previously devised for adding other dry, particulate chlorinating agents to swimming pool water are generally unsuitable for feeding calcium hypochlorite for various reasons.

3,455,831 Patented July 22, 1969 ice For example, one previous apparatus for adding dry, particulate chlorinating agent to water includes a generally horizontal, rectangular tank into which water is fed from the swimming pool through an inlet pipe controlled by a float to maintain a predetermined water level in the tank below the inlet pipe. The agent is fed at intervals into the tank through a metering mechanism and is carried in solution out through an outlet pipe positioned at a bottom corner of the tank remote from the inlet pipe. However, it has been found that in the use of calcium hypochlorite there remain a substantial proportion of insoluble solids (about 30% by volume, mostly calcium), which tend to settle out in the bottom of the tank and to clog the outlet so that the apparatus ceases to function. In view of this disability, operation of the device described has been restricted to the feeding of cyanuric chlorinating agents having an insoluble solids proportion of 5% or less. However, such cyanuric materials are very much more expensive than calcium hypochlorite with the result that the prior system has not proved economically suitable for general application.

Another problem in the use of calcium hypochlorite arises from the sensitivity of the material when stored in large amounts, such as the usual drums used for swimming pool purposes, to moisture. A small amount of moisture may cause spontaneous ignition of the contents of the whole drum causing a significant fire hazard as well as the direct economic loss of the contents of the drum. It would therefore be desirable in designing a feeder, to ensure that moisture is, as far as possible, excluded from any supply container or drum used.

There exists, therefore, a real need at the present time for the provision of a low-cost swimming pool chlorination system based on the use of calcium hypochlorite as a chlorinating agent which will function for long periods of time without attention.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for adding a dry, particulate chlorinating agent to swimming pool water, intended to obviate or minimize problems of the type previously noted.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for adding dry calcium hypochlorite to swimming pool water, capable of functioning for long periods without attention.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for adding calcium hypochlorite as a chlorinating agent to swimming pool water wherein operation of the apparatus will not be adversely affected by accumulation of insoluble solids upon addition of the calcium hypochlorite to the water.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for adding dry, particulate chlorinating agent to swimming pool water, capable of lowcost production and adapted for operation with a minimum of maintenance so as to render the apparatus suitable for use in swimming pools intended particularly for private homes, motels or the like.

One preferred embodiment of the invention intended to accomplish at least some of the foregoing objects includes an apparatus for feeding dry, particulate chlorinating agent to the water in a swimming pool system. The apparatus includes a hopper adapted to hold a supply of the agent and a flushing chamber connected with the hopper. Feeding means is connected with the hopper for supplying quantities of the agent to the flushing chamber at intervals. Water supply means connected with the flushing chamber for delivering water thereto from the swimming pool under relatively high pressure is connected with control valve means for controlling the admission of water to maintain a predetermined level of water in the flushing chamber. Outlet means is connected with the flushing chamber below the predetermined water level and conducts water leaving the flushing chamber to a filter for filtering water prior to its return to the pool. Ejector means is connected with the water supply means for conducting water therefrom to a point below the predetermined water level in the flushing chamber. The ejector means imparts a violent agitating and swirling motion to the water in the flushing chamber to cause the agent fed into the flushing chamber to be carried in a state of suspension in the water out through the outlet means subbstantially without settling in the chamber.

In this manner, accumulation of insoluble solids in the flushing chamber is avoided and instead the insoluble solids are collected on the filter where they do not cause clogging of the apparatus resulting in stopping of its operation.

A method aspect of the invention includes the steps of providing a hopper to hold a supply of the agent rod of positioning a flushing chamber adjacent the hoppe, to receive quantities of the agent therefrom. In further steps, quantities of the agent are fed into the flushing chamber at intervals. Water is fed in under pressure from the swimming pool to the flushing chamber and is controlled in its admission to maintain a predetermined water level in the flushing chamber. Water is conducted away from the flushing chamber through an outlet positioned below the predetermined Water level. The water admitted to the flushing chamber is caused to exert a violent, agitating and swirling effect upon the water in the flushing chamber to cause the agent fed into the flushing chamber to be maintained in a state of suspension in the water and to be swirled out through the outlet substantially without settling in the flushing chamber.

THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of a swimming pool chlorination and filtration system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a chlorinating unit forming a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of a lid for a drum of chlorinating agent utilized in conjunction with chlorinating unit shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the lid shown in FIGURE 3 taken along the lines 4-4 therein;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of a portion of the lid shown in FIGURE 3 taken along the lines 5-5 therein;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of the chlorinating unit shown in FIGURE 2 taken along the lines 66 therein;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional top view of the chlorinating unit shown in FIGURE 2 taken along the lines 77 therein;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional side view of an ejector forming a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 9 is an end view of the ejector shown in FIGURE 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION General summary Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the invention is there shown in conjunction with a swimming pool installation of the type including a pump 2 for drawing a primary stream of water from the swimming pool to a suction inlet side of the pump. The pump 2 passes the primary stream of water at a relatively higher delivery pressure from an outlet side of the pump through a filter 4 after which the primary stream is returned to the swimming pool. According to conventional practice a strainer 6 to remove large debris, such as leaves, and manual valves 8 and 10 are connected to the suction inlet to the pump 2. Other valves may also be connected upstream of the pump if desired.

Of particular significance in the present invention is the provision of a secondary circulating unit generally designated as 12. The secondary circulating unit includes an upright, cylindrical flushing chamber 14 (FIGURE 2) into which a secondary stream of water forming a minor portion of the primary stream of water is diverted. The secondary stream is diverted through an inlet pipe 16 from the high pressure downstream side of the pump 2. The inlet pipe 16 communicates with a conventional float controlled valve 18 for maintaining a predetermined level of water within the flushing chamber 14. Connected to the float valve 18 is a downwardly projecting pipe 19 having its lower end disposed below the level of the water. An outlet pipe 20 communicating with the lower end of the flushing chamber 14 below the predetermined water level provides for passage of water back to the suction inlet side of the pump 2. A supply of dry particulate chlorinating agent such as calcium hypochlorite is contained within a hopper 22 and is delivered in uniform amounts at predetermined intervals to the flushing chamber 14 by a horizontally disposed screw feeder 24. The screw feeder 24 is driven by an electric motor 26 controlled to operate at predetermined times by a timing unit 28.

In a particular feature of the invention, the pipe 19 is provided with an ejector comprising a restricted nozzle portion adapted (as will be described) to produce a violently agitated and swirling motion of the water within the flushing chamber 14. This agitation is so violent that substantially all of the agent fed into the flushing chamber is broken up into immediate suspension in the water and is swirled around and out through the outlet tube 20 without opportunity ot settle on the bottom of the flushing chamber. The water containing the agent then passes back into the primary stream, through the pump 2 again andthen to the filter 4 on which the insoluble solids left after dissolving of the remainder of the agent collect. However, the filter 4 is of relatively massive capacity and is back-flooded at regular intervals in accordance with conventional swimming pool practice so that accumulation of solids presents no clogging problem.

It will be appreciated that the system described is particularly suitable for use with calcium hypochlorite as a chlorinating agent as the violent agitation of the water in the flushing chamber effectively prevents settling out of theinsoluble solids which as discussed for calcium hypochlorite constitute a substantial proportion of the volume of chlorinating agent fed in. This obviates any problems of clogging of the outlet and provides a particularly eflicient unit for adding calcium hypochlorite to swimming pool water.

Structure Referring to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the previously mentioned hopper 22 includes a downwardly converging frustoconical body 30 provided with a horizontally disposed, radially extending, annular flange 32 about its upper edge. A resilient, flat, annular sealing gasket 34 is fixedly secured to the upper surface of the annular flange 32. The hopper 22 is supported above ground level by conventional supporting structure generally designated 36, secured to the underside of the flange 32.

To feed the agent into the hopper, a conventional cylindrical IOU-pound drum of the agent (FIGURE 3) has its usual circular top lid 38 modified by cutting out a centrally positioned aperture 42 in the lid. A generally rectangular sliding gate 44 is held against the lid to completely close the aperture 42, by two parallel brackets 46 fixedly secured to the lid and slidably overlapping two side edges of the gate 44 (FIGURE 4) to permit it to function as a slidable closure for the aperture 42. The

gate 42 is moved radially of the lid between closed and open positions of the aperture by a slender rod or rigid wire-like member 48 secured to the gate 44 and having at its free end a handle 49 adapted to be grasped by hand. An upwardly projecting rim 50 about the periphery of the lid is provided with a depression 52 (FIGURE 5) to permit the rod 48 to pass outwardly of the rim. Once the lid 38 has been modified in this way, it will be appreciated that it may be used on successive conventional drums of the agent having the same dimensions.

Once the modified lid 38 has been placed on the drum, with the aperture 42 closed, the drum is inverted and placed on the hopper 2 with the cover 38 resting in sealing abutting contact against the resilient flange 34. The seal thus afforded excludes moisture from the material and this is particularly desirable in mixing calcium hypochlorite which is highly sensitive to the presence of moisture. The seal is further improved by the peripherally extending, axially projecting rim 50- which digs into the flange 34. The handle portion 49 is then grasped and the gate 44 is pulled radially outwardly to uncover the aperture 42 to permit the dry chlorinating agent to fall into the funnel-like portion 30 of the hopper.

The apex of the funnel portion 30 is sealingly secured about a horizontally disposed tube 5 3 which extends at one end thereof into the previously mentioned flushing chamber 14. An aperture 54 (FIGURE 6) is provided in a portion of the tube 53 facing into the hopper 22 so that the agent may pass therefrom into the tube. Received within the tube 53 is the previously mentioned screw feeder 24 which extends the length of the tube. The screw feeder 24 is a conventional helical feed screw of constant pitch and is provided at its end remote from the flushing chamber 14, with a plain shank connected to a universal drive connection 55. The connection 55 is driven by the output shaft of the previously mentioned electric motor 26 and allows for minor misalignment between the shaft and feed screw.

The motor 26 is connected by suitable bracketing to the support structure 36. The direction of rotation of the motor 26 is arranged in conjunction with the direction of thread of the helix of the screw shaft 24 in such a manner as to insure that rotation of the motor advances quantities of the chlorinating agent from the hopper 22 into the flushing chamber 14.

A suitable source of electrical power (not shown) is connected to the electric motor through the previously mentioned electrical timer 28 so that the feed screw 24 is rotated at constant speed for the predetermined periods during which it is connected to a source of power by the timer. Any suitable electrical time switch of the type capable of making an electrical connection for a predetermined duration at predetermined intervals may be utilized and in the preferred embodiment an electrical timer manufactured by Dayton Electric Manufacturing Company of Chicago, 111., is utilized.

It will be appreciated that in order to feed an adequate amount of chlorinating agent to a large pool as opposed to a relatively smaller pool, it will be necessary either to arrange the motor to rotate the feed shaft more rapidly during periods of feeding or to arrange the timer to cause the motor to operate for longer or more frequent periods during the day. Alternatively, some combination of a more rapid feed rate and greater aggregate feed time can be arranged as required.

Chlorinating agent advanced by the screw shaft is fed into the previously mentioned flushing chamber 14 which includes a horizontally disposed, flat base 60 connected by suitable bracketing to the support structure 36. Secured to the base 60 and extending vertically upwardly therefrom is a cylindrical chamber wall 62 having an open upper end.

The inlet pipe 16 passes through the chamber wall 62 adjacent the upper end thereof and supports, at the upper end of the inlet pipe, the previously mentioned float valve unit 18. Extending downwardly from the float valve unit 18 is the pipe 19 having its lower end positioned adjacent and spaced a short distance above the base 60. Also connected to the float unit 18 is a horizontally extending pivot arm 63 pivotally connected at its free end with a vertical rod 64 connected to a buoyant float 66. The float 66 is stabilized against horizontal motion in the flushing chamber 14 due to water forces, by a guide collar 67 fixedly connected with the flushing chamber by suitable bracketing and slidably embracing the vertical rod 64. The control valve 18 which may be of any suitable commercially available type is responsive to the vertical position of the float 66 to control the admission of water into the flushing chamber to maintain a predetermined level of water in the flushing chamber in a well known manner. In the preferred embodiment the float valve is a commercially available unit manufactured by Flippin Manufacturing Company of Santa Ana, Calif., under the designation standard valve, although other suitable units may be utilized if desired.

Also communicating with the flushing chamber 14 below the level of the water therein at an outlet opening 68 spaced vertically a short distance above the lower extremity of the standpipe 19, is the previously mentioned outlet pipe 20 for returning water from the flushing chamber 14 to the suction inlet side of the pump 2. The lower end of the pipe 19 is positioned adjacent the outlet opening 68 spaced angularly and radially a short distance therefrom (FIGURE 7).

Positioned angularly between opening 68 and the pipe 19 is a vertically extending flat baffle plate or weir 74 which has an outer vertical edge '76 fixedly secured to the adjacent portion of the cylinder wall and an inner vertical edge 78 aligned with the center line of the cylinder 62. The baffle plate 74 further includes a horizontal lower edge 80 fixedly secured to the base 60, and an upper edge 81 intersecting the inner vertical edge 78 at a point generally on a vertical level with the outlet opening 68 extending upwardly and radially outwardly. The upper edge 81 intersects an upwardly extending vertical edge 82 of the bafile spaced close by adjacent the float 66. The vertical edge 82 at its upper end terminates in an upwardly and radially outwardly inclined intermediate edge 83 intersecting a horizontal top edge 83a extending to the cylinder wall 62. The baffle plate 74 may also be secured to standpipe 19 to stabilize it against the turbulent hydrodynamic forces exerted upon it. Additional conventional bracketing is also provided for this purpose. The lower end of the pipe 19 is angled away from the baffle plate 74 towards the interior of the flushing chamber at about 30 and is in addition inclined downwardly away from the bafile plate 74 towards the base .60.

In a particular feature of the invention, a violent agitating and swirling motion is imparted to the water in the flushing chamber 14 so that as the chlorinating agent is fed in, it is immediately placed in a state of suspension in the water and swirled out through the outlet before it has a chance to settle on the bottom of the flushing chamber. This is achieved by providing an ejector in the form of a restrictive nozzle-like portion 84 at the lower end of the pipe 19 positioned so as to direct a stream of water with great violence downwardly at an inclination to the base in a direction towards the cylinder wall away from the outlet 68. The restricted portions 84 are conveniently provided by crimping the lower end of the pipe 19 with a suitable crimping tool to a configuration shown in FIGURES 8 and 9. In this manner, the end portion of the pipe 19 is bent into a generally 4-pointed star configuration having a generally diamond shaped outlet orifice 86 of considerably less area than the cross section area of pipe 19. Although one particular form of outlet for the pipe 19 has been described, it will be appreciated that the orifice may be produced in many other shapes and forms and in other manners such as,

for example, inserting a preformed, convergent-divergent nozzle member into the lower end of the pipe.

Because of the restricted area of the ejector 84, water issues therefrom at high velocity and its general directions of travel in the flushing chamber 14 are indicated by illustrative arrows in FIGURES 2 and 7. In the vertical plane (FIGURE 2) the water issuing at high velocity from the ejector 84 impinges upon the base 60 moving downwardly at an inclination away from the outlet opening 68 and is deflected upwardly in a circular path against the cylinder wall. The flow has by this time acquired a vertically circular motion and interrupts the surface of the liquid where considerable turbulence occurs. After this the flow curves over and down towards the outlet opening 68 through which the water leaves. In the horizontal plane, FIGURE 7, the jet leaving the ejector 84 is directed away from the opening 68 away from the bafile 74 toward the adjacent part of the cylinder wall 62 around which it swirls until it encounters the other side of the baffle plate 74 and is directed thereby through the opening 68. In practice it will be appreciated that these vertical and horizontal circular flow paths of the water in the flushing chamber combine to provide a violent swirling and agitating motion to the water in the chamber.

As quantities of the chlorinating agent are fed in by the feed screw 24 they fall onto the surface of the water where they are at once broken up and placed in a state of suspension in the water by the violent turbulating action. The period of dwell of the suspended particles in the flushing chamber is extremely short and they are flushed out through the outlet opening 68 even before they have had a chance to commence substantial dissolving. Thus, the insoluble residues of the chlorinating agent do not have a chance to build up a clogging accumulation of insoluble residues which might block the outlet pipe and terminate operation of the chlorinating apparatus.

In practice it has been found that the continuous agitating and swirling motion is so violent that it is possible to feed even a wholly insoluble material such as sand, to the flushing chamber and have it almost instantaneously broken up into a suspension in water and flush out without any settling of material on the bottom of the flushing chambers.

The chlorinating agent is carried away along the outlet pipe and back into the primary stream and back through the pump 2 and on to the previously mentioned main filter 4. A minor portion of the water carrying the suspended agent leaving the delivery side of the pump may be recirculated for a second time through the flushing chamber. However, as previously indicated, the secondary stream is itself only a minor portion of the primary stream with the result that the major part of the water containing the suspended agent passes to the filter 4. The main filter 4 is of any suitable, commercially available type having a relatively massive filtration capacity so that the insoluble residues of the chlorinating agent are collected on the top of the filter media. However, the capacity of the filter is so large that clogging does not occur within the usual periods of cleaning of the filter.

In many swimming pool installations, the piping on the suction side of the pump 2 is undersized with the result that there may be such a high degree of suction there that water would be sucked thrOugh the outlet 20 (connected to the piping to the suction side of the pump) at such a high rate as to drain the flushing chamber. In order, therefore, to regulate the pressure drop across the ejector 84 to a particular range found most suitable, a throttling valve 90 (FIGURE 2) is positioned in the outlet pipe 20 intermediate the flushing chamber 14 and the inlet side of the pump 2. The degree of restriction afforded by the throttling valve 90 may be selectively varied to obtain the desired suction characteristics at the flushing chamber and to compensate for environmental suction discrepancies in the particular swimming pool, pump and filter installation. The adjustment on the throttling valve is made on new installations when required. This adjustment is permanent and is the only adjustment required.

Also interposed in the outlet pipe 20 in series with the throttling valve 90 is a conventional check valve 92 (FIGURE 2) to prevent backflow of water from the primary stream into the flushing chamber 14 through the opening 67 when pump 2 is stopped for any reason.

Additional safety is provided by an overflow port 94 extending through the cylinder wall 62 positioned above the level of water in the flushing chamber 14 but below the level of the screw feeder 24. In the event that the float valve 18 should malfunction, the possibility that incoming water might fill the flushing chamber 14 to the level of the feed screw 24 thereby causing flooding with serious fire and safety hazards is eliminated by the provision of the port 94. This feature is of particular importance in feeding calcium hypochlorite in view of the known sensitivity of this material to even small amounts of water.

SUMMARY OF ADVANTAGES It will be seen that in following the method and apparatus of the present invention, certain significant ad vantages are provided. Of particular importance is the fact that the invention permits calcium hypochlorite to be fed into a swimming pool chlorinating system utilizing a low cost apparatus capable of function for long periods without attention.

In this connection, the flushing chamber in which a violent agitating and swirling motion is imparted to the water receiving the chlorinating agent to prevent settling out of insoluble residues, is of particular importance.

Also significant is the provision of the ejector inclined downwardly and away from the outlet to cause simultaneous vertical and horizontal swirling motions in the water.

Other significant advantages are provided by the throttling valve in the outlet pipe which perimts the tap paratus to be adjusted for particular installations; by the support for the hypochlorite drum which maintains the material in a dry condition ready for feeding into the flushing chamber; and by the motor and timer which provides for predetermined feed amounts as necessitated by the size of the particular swimming pool involved.

Although the invention has been described with reference to one preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, deletions, substitutions, modifications and other changes not specifically described or illustrated may be made which will fall within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for feeding a dry, particulate chlorinating agent to the water in a swimming pool system, said apparatus comprising,

a hopper adapted to hold a supply of the agent;

a flushing chamber connected with the hopper;

feeding means connected with the hopper for supplying quantities of the agent to the flushing chamber at intervals;

water supplying means connected with said flushing chamber and adapted for delivering water thereto from the swimming pool under a relatively high pressure;

control valve means connected with said water supplying means for controlling the admission of water to said flushing chamber to maintain a predetermined level of water in said flushing chamber;

outlet means. connected with said flushing chamber below the predetermined water level therein;

a filter connected with said outlet means for filtering water received therefrom and for returning the water to the pool;

ejector means connected with said water supplying means for conducting water therefrom to a point below the predetermined water levelin said flushing chamber, said ejector means being arranged to impart a violent agitating and swirling motion to the water in said flushing chamber to cause the agent fed into said flushing chamber to be carried in a state of suspension in the water out through said outlet means substantially without settling in said chamber; said flushing chamber including a base, and a generally cylindrical wall secured to and extending outwardly from said base; said ejector means further including a pipe connected with said water supply means and having a lower end disposed below the predetermined water level in said flushing chamber, and a relatively restricted nozzle portion at the lower end of said pipe positioned adjacent said outlet means directed away therefrom and inclined downwardly, said nozzle being operable to direct water with great turbulence against said wall to cause the water to swirl vertically and horizontally towards said outlet means; and a bathe plate extending vetrically upwardly from said base, said baflie plate being positioned intermediate said nozzle and said outlet means, said baffle plate further being secured to said wall with portions of said bathe plate extending radially toward the center of said cylinder. 2. An apparatus for feeding particulate material into a liquid body, said apparatus comprising,

a hopper adapted to hold a supply of particulate material; a flushing chamber connected with said hopper; feeding means connected with said hopper and operable to transfer quantities of particulate material from said hopper to said flushing chamber; liquid supplying means connected with said flushing chamber and adapted for delivering liquid thereto; control means connected with said liquid supplying means for controlling the admission of liquid to said flushing chamber to maintain at least a predetermined level of liquid in said flushing chamber; outlet means connected with said flushing chamber below the predetermined liquid level therein; a filter connected with said outlet means for filtering liquid received therefrom; ejector means connected with said liquid supplying means for conducting liquid therefrom to a point below the predetermined liquid level in said flushing chamber, said ejector means being arranged to impart a violent agitating and swirling motion to said liquid in said flushing chamber to cause the particulate material transferred into said flushing chamber to be carried in a state of suspension in the liquid out through said outlet means, substantially without settling in said flushing chamber; said flushing chamber including a base, and a generally cylindrical wall secured to and extending upwardly from said base; said ejector means further including a pipe connected with said liquid supply means and having a lower end disposed below the predetermined liquid level in said flushing chamber, and a relatively restricted nozzle portion at the lower end of said pipe positioned adjacent said outlet means directed away therefrom and inclined downwardly, said nozzle being operable to direct liquid with great turbulence against said cylindrical wall to cause the liquid to swirl vertically and horizontally towards said outlet means; and

a bafile plate extending vertically upwardly from said base, said baffle plate being positioned intermediate said nozzle and said outlet means, said baflle plate further being secured to said wall with portions of said baflle plate extending radially toward the center of said cylinder.

3. An apparatus for feeding dry, particulate, chlorinating reagent to the water in a swimming pool system, the system including a pump having a suction inlet for drawing a primary stream of water from the swimming pool and a high pressure delivery outlet for passing the primary stream of water through a filter and back to the pool, said apparatus comprising,

a hopper adapted to hold a supply of the reagent;

a flushing chamber connected with the hopper;

feeding means connected with the hopper for supplying quantities of the reagent to the flushing chamber at intervals;

inlet means connected with said flushing chamber, said inlet means being adapted for connection with the high pressure delivery outlet of the pump to deliver a secondary stream of water to said flushing chamber;

control valve means connected with said inlet means for controlling the admission of water to said flushing chamber to maintain a predetermined level of water in said flushing chamber;

outlet means adapted for connection with the suction inlet to the pump, said outlet means communicating with said flushing chamber below the predetermined water level therein;

ejector means connected with said inlet means for conducting water therefrom to a point below the predetermined water level in said flushing chamber, said ejector means being arranged to impart a violent agitating and swirling motion to the water in said flushing chamber to cause the reagent fed into said flushing chamber to be carried in a state of suspension in the water out through said outlet means substantially without settling in said chamber;

said flushing chamber including a base, and a generally cylindrical wall secured to and extending outwardly from said base;

said ejector means further including,

a pipe connected with said inlet means and having a lower end disposed below the predetermined water level in said flushing chamber, and

a relatively restricted nozzle portion at the lower end of said pipe positioned adjacent said outlet means, said nozzle being inclined downwardly and away from said outlet means to direct water leaving said nozzle with great turbulence against said cylindrical wall to cause the water to swirl vertically and horizontally towards said outlet means; and

a baflle plate extending outwardly from said base, said bafile plate being positioned intermediate said nozzle and said outlet pipe, said baffie plate further being secured to said wall with portions of said baifie plate extending radially towards the center of said cylinder.

4. An apparatus for feeding particulate material into liquid of a system, the system including a pump having a suction inlet for receiving a primary stream of liquid from a source and also having a high pressure delivery outlet for passing the primary stream of water through a filter, said apparatus comprising,

a hopper adapted to hold a supply of particulate material;

a flushing chamber connected with said hopper;

feeding means connected with said hopper for transferring particulate material from said hopper to said flushing chamber;

inlet means connected with said flushing chamber, said inlet means being adapted for connection with the high pressure delivery outlet of the pump to deliver a secondary stream of liquid to said fiushing chamber; control means connected with said inlet means for controlling the admission of liquid to said flushing chamber to maintain at least a predetermined level of liquid in said flushing chamber; outlet means adapted for connection with the suctio inlet of the pump, said outlet means communicating with said flushing chamber below the predetermined liquid level therein; ejector means connected with said inlet means for conducting liquid therefrom to a point below the predetermined liquid level in said flushing chamber, said ejector means being arranged to impart a violent agitating and swirling motion to the liquid in said flushing chamber to cause the particulate material transferred into said flushing chamber to 'be carried in a state of suspension in the liquid out through said outlet means, substantially Without settling in said flushing chamber; said flushing chamber including a base, and a generally cylindrical wall secured to and extending upwardly from said base; said ejector means further including,

a pipe connected with said inlet means and having a lower end disposed below the predetermined liquid level in said flushing chamber, and relatively restricted nozzle portion at the lower end of said pipe positioned adjacent said outlet means, said nozzle being inclined downwardly and away from said outlet means to direct liquid leaving said nozzle with great turbulence against said cylindrical wall to cause the liquid to swirl vertically and horizontally towards said outlet means; and o a bafile plate extending outwardly from said base, said baffle plate being positioned intermediate said nozzle and said outlet pipe, said ballle plate further being secured to said wall with portions of said baffie plate extending radially towards the center of said cylinder. 5. An apparatus for feeding particulate material int flowing liquid, said apparatus comprising,

flushing chamber means;

feeding means operable to supply particulate material to said flushing chamber means;

liquid supplying means connected with said flushing chamber means and adapted to deliver liquid thereto;

liquid outlet means connected with said flushing chamber means;

ejector means connected with said liquid supplying means for conducting liquid therefrom to a zone of said flushing chamber means, said ejector means being operable in said zone to initiate a violent agitating motion to liquid in said flushing chamber means to cause the particulate material supplied to said flushing chamber means to be carried in a state of substantial suspension in the liquid out through said outlet means, substantially without settling in said chamber; and

baffle plate means mounted in said flushing chamber means and operable to substantially prevent repeated circulation of said particulate material through said flushing chamber means, said bafile means being positioned generally intermediate said outlet means and said zone of initiation of liquid agitating.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,639,981 5/1953 Carr 23271 2,760,820 8/1956 Cirese 23272.7 2,820,701 1/1958 Leslie 23-271 3,004,544 10/1961 Guptill 137268 X 3,142,639 7/1964 Baer et al 2l060 OTHER REFERENCES Coffman, Paul A., Jr., Guides for Selecting Chemical Feeders, Water and Sewage Works, Reference and Data, June 1956, pp. R-84 to R89.

MICHAEL E. ROGERS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

